Conan O'Brien: American comedian and talk show host suffers heartbreak as parents die within days of each other

Conan, 61, revealed that his mother, Ruth Reardon O’Brien, recently passed away, just days after his father, Thomas. Ruth, 92, passed away at the couple’s Massachusetts home on Thursday, December 12, while Thomas, 95, also passed away at home on Monday, December 9.

In an obituary published in the Boston Globe earlier this week, Conan paid tribute to his father, who the comedian called “the funniest guy in the room”. He said: “Science has said there’s no such thing as perpetual motion, but my father was proof that that was wrong.”

He added: “... he was often the funniest guy in the room. And when he would laugh, his whole body would convulse and he would almost hug himself.”

Thomas worked as a physician and a Harvard professor specialising in epidemiology. Conan continued: “I’ve never met anyone like him, and he happens to be my father. If I met him randomly in a hotel lobby, I’d think, ‘Who the hell is this guy? He’s the most interesting person I’ve ever met.’”

Ruth was a successful attorney who was only the second woman to make partner at Boston-based Ropes & Gray. A funeral mass is set to be held for the couple in Boston on December 18.

The heartbreaking news comes as it was announced that Conan is set to host the Oscars ceremony in early 2025. Joking about his appointment, he said: “America demanded it and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars.”

It will mark the first time the beloved former talk show host has been at the helm of the Academy Awards ceremony. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a joint statement: “He is the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humor, his love of movies, and his live TV expertise.”